The Portland daily press., 1887-02-07
FROM WASHINGTON.
Summary of Last Weeks Work in
House and Senate.
More Pensions Granted to People of
Maine.
The Interstate Commerce Bill
Signed by the President.
Special to the Press.

WASHINGTON, Feb g.
1 The summary of last weeks work in Con-
gress up to Friday night is as follows: On
Saturday the Senate passed bill setting
apart tract of land lying near the head
waters of the Yellowstone River as public
| park. The House passed the postoffice and
district appropriation bills. Monday, Tues
day and Wednesday were devoted by the Sem
ate to the consideration of the sundry civil
bill to the exclusion of everything else. In
| House on Monday during the call of States,
Mr.. Boutelle presented resolution request
ing the committee on foreign affairs to report
the Senate retaliation bill at once, and Mr..
Milllken bill giving pension to Elizabeth
G. Grindle, and bill relating to pensions to
dependent and destitute parents of deceased
soldiers. After the call of States the agricul-
tural appropriation bill was taken up and
passed. The remainder of the day was de-
voted to the bill for recognizing the bureau
of the navy department, but no action was
taken. On Tuesday in the House bill was
passed providing for an additional term for
the Circuit Court ofthe Supreme Court of
the District of Columbia and for the appoint
ment of an additional associate justice there
for. In the evening session was held to
consider bills presented by the committee on
military affairs and about fifty bills were
passed. mostly private. Wednesday the
House refused to pass vetoed pension bill
over the Presidents veto, and then laid on
the table bill. which should have been
passed for the credit of Congress, forbidding
the sending out of funeral '.junkets." The
pleuro pneumonia bill was then taken up,
but for lack of quorum was considered but
a few minutes before the House adjourned.
On Wednesday in the Senate before the sun
dry civil was taken up bill appropriating
$4,000 for special distribution of seed in
Texas was passed. Thursday the Senate af-
ter heated political discussion over res0-
luton of inquiry regarding rule in the pen
sion office, in the course of which several
Democratic Sena tors quite severely criti-
cized the administration for its slowness in
making removals in the department, was adj
dressed by Senator Evarts Of New York, in
opposition to the railroad attorney bill. In
the House the bill referred to in the PRESS
last week giving each Senator and Repre-
sentative.not the chairman of committee, a
clerk at 500 per month, was tabled by vote
of 142 to 105. Friday in the House was as
usual devoted to private bills, and the Sen
ate spent the day in heated debate, and in
tiresome rol-calls over the much postponed
ard much debated Beck attorney bill. The
bill was finally passed in much modified
form from that in which it was originally
presented by Senator Beck
Maine Pensions.
Pensions have been granted to residents of
Maine as follows:
William, father of Charles II. Duplisea, Orient.
Moses L., father OF Leonard W. Hamilton,
Sprague's Mills.
Samuel M. Homestead, increase. West Hampden
Nathan w. Petite, increase, Belfast.
John L. Bartlett, reissue. Semervine.
James G.. Hall, reissue North Vienna
Joseph Woods, reissue, South Berwick.